Observations at the Bistro
by cumberland river relic
Summary: What is the nature of Patrick Jane and Teresa Lisbon's relationship? It's hard to say just observing them at lunch.


*******Author's notes*******

**Thank you to master storyteller Sue Shay for beta-reading this!** If you're a fan of suspense, drama, and romance sprinkled with humor, check out Sue's "I'm Game." _(Full disclosure: I've been beta-reading "I'm Game" and have thoroughly enjoyed it.) _ Actually, I recommend that you check out all of Sue's_ The Mentalist _long-form and short-form stories!

I do not own the TV show _The Mentalist_. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes only. I get no compensation from it.

*******Observations*******

I had just gotten back into town and was hungry for the house specialty at my favorite burger joint. Actually, it went by the term "bistro," but it owed its success to everyone in town thinking of it as the best burger joint in Sacramento.

You know how some days you just wanna be alone at lunch? No colleagues, no family, no friends - just you and the newspaper? On days like today I like it to be just me and the sports section. I like to check the standings, see who's up, who's down.

I thought getting to the "bistro" (I still resent calling it that) right at 11am would assure that I wouldn't run into anybody I know. Wrong! I guess in Sacramento at any downtown restaurant at midday you'll see politicians, bureaucrats, law enforcement types, lawyers, and business people. Thankfully most just exchanged waves with me and went on to their tables. A few chit-chatted with me but soon left. I guess I forgave them the distraction since they kept it brief.

I was just getting to the feature interview in the sports section when Teresa Lisbon and Patrick Jane walked in and sat down at the table next to me. Fortunately they were in the category of people who just exchanged a simple "hello" with me and left it at that.

When the waitress brought my burger I set aside the paper to focus on the meal. At least I tried to focus on my meal. Lisbon and Jane were having an animated discussion about magic tricks, and they were loud enough they drew my attention as well as that of the family sitting at the table on the other side of them. Apparently Jane had shown Lisbon some card trick, and Lisbon was pressing him without success to tell her how he did it. Despite her protests and his stubbornness, you could see the two were enjoying the conversation.

A lot of people who know them speculate about the exact nature of their relationship. What is their attachment to each other? I've heard people say with authority that the two of them have to be lovers on the sly. They don't really have any basis for saying that other than their supposed skill at reading people. Like they were Patrick Jane!

I'm not sure anyone knows the exact nature of the relationship, and I would include Jane and Lisbon in that group of the unknowing. If I had to make a guess - and it's only a guess - I'd say they're extremely close friends. The kind of close friends who might some day under certain circumstances tip over into being a couple. But like I said, it's only a guess.

The waitress brought their order over to the table and I chuckled to myself that Lisbon had ordered the same burger I did. It is good! She was just about to take a bit when her phone rang.

"Fresno? Yeah. Jane and I are on our way."

Lisbon tugged Jane's sleeve.

"Red John. We gotta go."

All levity gone from their faces, they made their way out as fast as possible. Soon enough the waitress cleared their table and an obnoxious state senator and his lobbyist buddy sat down. Unlike Lisbon and Jane, the senator and the lobbyist felt they had to make small talk with me for several minutes. After washing down my meal with some fresh coffee, I paid the tab and left. The rest of the sports section would have to wait until later.

As I walked to my car, I thought back to Lisbon and Jane, that strange dynamic of theirs, and their sudden departure. I did hope they got to Fresno while the crime scene was still fresh. That was some of my best work.

*******Author's notes*******

Thank you for reading the story, and I look forward to hearing from you.


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